TORY MP Robert Halfon warned there will be public “outrage” if Britain pays the European Union billions to get a Brexit deal instead of using the money in areas such as schools and housing.

Education Select Committee Chair Robert Halfon said the public would "go bananas, absolutely spare" if Britain pays more than €20bn for a deal with the European Union.

Speaking on the BBC’s Westminster Hour, Mr Halfon said that an exit costing around €40-50bn will “undermine” every argument the Conservatives have about the need for austerity.

Mr Halfon said: “60 per cent of my Harlow constituents who voted to Leave will be outraged by it.”

“We’ve just been talking about budget constraints and the difficulty the chancellor has in public spending.

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Robert Halfon said that €40bn should be used on hospitals, housing and schools

“And if we start saying that we’re going to give €40-50bn to the EU I think the public will go bananas, absolutely spare.

“I voted Remain because I believe in alliances of democracy in an uncertain world.

“But we voted to leave, the public wants to leave and I cannot believe that the public would accept such a huge amount when we need money for schools, for hospitals or housing and many other things.

“So I think that is going to be very difficult if it is that amount of money.”

Theresa May vowed to amend the EU Withdrawal Bill so that it enshrines an exact Brexit departure date of 29 March 2019 into law.

But a group of Tory rebels have pledged to join the Labour party, who branded the amendment as a “gimmick” and are set to vote against the change.

Mr Halfon said that he does not see “what all the fuss is about” in regard to setting a date in stone for Britain’s exit from the Brussels bloc. The Tory MP said: “As I understand it, we voted for Article 50, we are going to leave on the 29 March 2019 anyway.

“The Remainers were talking today said they were only asking for an extension of a couple of weeks. So if it's only a couple of weeks, what’s the point? We might as well keep to the original date.”